Avalanche Claim Former Penguins Defenseman

The Colorado Avalanche bolstered their defense with the addition of a former Pittsburgh Penguins' blue liner.

Apr 8, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman John Ludvig (7) skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the warmup at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The Colorado Avalanche are trying to find their way back to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since they hoisted the trophy in 2022. With a majority of their salary cap space devoted to their core, it doesn't leave them with much money to address any other needs. That includes on defense, which means the team has to be creative to upgrade their lineup.

Thankfully for the Avalanche, the Pittsburgh Penguins placed a gritty defender on waivers, fitting a need for Colorado. The team claimed John Ludvig after he failed the make the Penguins' top six defense out of training camp. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported the waiver claim via his X account. Also according to Friedman, he was the only player claimed on waivers from the large group of players placed on waivers the day before.

Colorado claims John Ludvig

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 5, 2024

Ludvig joins the Avalanche after impressing in a brief stint with the Penguins last season. He played in 33 games with the Pens, registering three goals and five total points. What made his play valuable to Pittsburgh was his physicality. He logged five fights and 47 total penalty minutes as a rookie, leading the team in fighting majors.

The Penguins acquired Ludvig in the same manner the Avalanche did, claiming him on waivers from the Florida Panthers organization. Ludvig was making his way through the organizational ranks, and spent the first few seasons of his professional career in the American Hockey League (AHL). During the 2022-2023 season, he took a huge step forward with 17 points in 54 AHL contests.

The Panthers drafted Ludvig in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft. The Czech-born defender played junior hockey in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for three seasons with the Portland Winterhawks. He played 169 games over those years in Portland, and accumulated a total of 87 points.

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